The Best Train Ride In The Nation Is Right Here In New Mexico
USA Today’s Ten Best “Readers’ Choice” Awards just acknowledged New Mexico’s Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad as the best train ride in the nation.
Those readers are right and here’s why.
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1. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is the most beautiful train ride in the country.
That may not sound like a big deal, but the standard is 4 feet and 8 ½ inches. Narrow-gauge railways are ideal for mining and also for mountainous areas. They allow trains to move across challenging landscapes.
5. The train travels to elevations of over 10,000 feet.
Okay, not really. Your end destination is Chama or Antonito, depending on which direction you take the train, but this does look like the Hogwart’s Express.
Things to know: The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad operates from the end of May through the end of October every year. For schedules and fares, click here. Ticket prices are admittedly a splurge at $49 for children and $99 for adults for the full-day excursion. Half-day trips cost $29 for children and $79 for adults. However, this is truly a once in a lifetime experience. (Also, you need to pay the folks shoveling all that coal.)
This railroad, which began as a functional way to access mines, has transformed into the best train ride in the country. New Mexicans are inventive and skilled at repurposing. For another example of a place that was once tied to mining but that has since been reimagined, check out the Catwalk National Scenic Trail.
